Minor League Action from June 8, 2023.

AAA: SWB (27-31) lost 5-3.

LF Elijah Dunham 2 RBI. #16 prospect.

Spence 5 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 2 W, 8 K. Gave up 2 HR 4.21
M. Gomez 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 HBP 7.03
Snelten (H, 1) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 1 K. 1 WP 4.38
Bowman (BS, 2) 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K. 3.41
Weissert (L, 1-1) 1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.06

AA: Somerset (31-22) Won 7-5.

SS Trey Sweeney 2 hits. #5 prospect.
CF Brandon Lockridge 3 hits, 3 RBI.
2B Max Burt 3-run HR (7).

Abeyta (W, 4-3) 6 2/3 IP, 5 R, 9 H, 0 W, 11 K. 1 WP 1 Balk. 2 HBP. 6.48
L. Santos (H, 4) 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1 WP 2.67
Houston (S, 1) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 HBP 6.75

High A: Hudson Valley (30-24) lost both games of a DH.

Game 1: Lost 1-0. Got just 3 hits.

Zach Messinger (L, 0-4) 5 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 W, 6 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.68 #22 prospect.
Neely 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.64

Game 2: Lost 2-1. Got just 3 hits again.

Yulie (L, 1-4) 5 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 3 W, 4 K. 5.02
C. Gomez 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K 5.76

Low A: Tampa (24-30) won 11-3.

2B Jared Serna 3 hits, 2 RBI. 2-run HR (9). #30 prospect.
CF Anthony Hall 2 hits, RBI.
SS Brenny Escanio 2 hits.
LF Christopher Familia 2 hits, 3 RBI. Solo HR (5).
C Jesus Rodriguez 2 hits, 2 RBI.
RF Tayler Aguilar 2 RBI.

Brock Selvidge (W, 3-3) 5 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 3 W, 8 K. 1 WP 3.02 #28 prospect.
Gray (H, 1) 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.28
Bustamente 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1 WP 2 HBP 3.42
Gabonia 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 5.40

Game 64. Yanks gain split of DH as Vasquez gets first MLB win.

Randy Vasquez, the Yanks’ #12 prospect, earned his first MLB victory in his second MLB game, tossing 5 2/3 shutout innings as the Yanks (37-27) shutout the Chicago White Sox in the second game of a doubleheader on a combined two-hitter.

Gleyber Torres hit a 2-run HR (10) in the bottom of the fourth, and Billy McKinney hit a solo HR (1; second game with Yanks; just called up when Judge hurt) in the bottom of the fifth, for all of the runs in the game.

Torres 2-run HR (10).
McKinney solo HR (1).

Vasquez (W, 1-1) 5 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 3 K. 1 HBP 1.74 FIRST MLB WIN.
Marinaccio (H, 6) 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 4 K. 3.68
Holmes (S, 7) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 2.73.

Game 63. 1st game of DH. Yanks lose 6-5.

I don’t get it. I know there is a doubleheader today and you don’t want to burn your bullpen in game one, but taking a guy out after just one pitch? And that pitch got an out?

But that’s what Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone did, and it cost him in the Yankees (36-27) 6-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox. I’ve had some issues with Boone’s bullpen management, and with this move in the first game of the doubleheader, I’m sure I’m not alone in questioning why Wandy Peralta was pulled after just one pitch.

The haze which canceled last night’s game was still there, but the air quality was better. It was still bad however, but the air quality index dropped from about 400 or so last night to 150 today.

Luis Severino struggled through five innings. He gave up a 2-run HR in the top of the second, but the Yanks came back in the bottom of the second when Billy McKinney tripled in his first Yankee AB of the season, Kyle Higashioka followed with an RBI double, and Willie Calhoun tied the game with an RBI single.

But Severino gave up two solo homers in the top of the third, and the White Sox were up 4-2. It’s the second subpar outing for Sevy.

Calhoun hit a 2-run HR (4) in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game.

In the bottom of the fifth, Jake Bauers got his second double of the game, and later was driven home on a single by Oswaldo Cabrera and the Yanks were up 5-4.

After Peralta threw his one pitch to get the last out in the sixth, Boone went to Michael King, and King gave up a double and 2-run HR and the White Sox were up 6-5.

The Yanks put two on with no one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Gleyber Torres popped up (shortly after just missing a GW 3-run HR, the ball was just foul) and Anthony Rizzo GIDP to end the game.

Calhoun 2 hits, 3 RBI. 2-run HR (4).
Bauers 2 hits.
Higashioka 2 hits, RBI.

Severino 5 IP, 4 R, 6 H, 2 W, 6 K. 1 HBP. Gave up 3 HR. 5.75
Cordero 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 3.24
Peralta 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.81 Only threw one pitch.
King (L, 1-2) (BS, 1) 2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.08
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00

With Judge out, other guys like Rizzo, Torres, Donaldson, Stanton have to pick up the slack. Also D.J. LeMahieu, who is hitting only .235, which is very unlike him.

Minor League Action from June 7, 2023. Smoke cancels AAA and High A games.

AAA: SWB ppd. because of the smoke and haze encompassing the Northeast that cancelled the Yankees game.

AA: Somerset (30-22) lost 5-4.

DH Austin Wells 2 RBI. #2 prospect.
2B Caleb Durbin 2 hits.
CF Jeisson Rosario 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (7).
C Mickey Gasper 3 hits.

Fenter 5 2/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 3 W, 8 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.62
Danny Watson (H, 2) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 0.00 at AA (recently promoted from High A).
Myatt (L, 2-1) (BS, 1) 2/3 IP, 4 R, 2 H, 2 W, 1 K. 1 HBP Gave up 1 HR. 5.16
Wilson 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K. 4.95

High A: Hudson Valley’s game also ppd. because of the massive smoke and haze.

Low A: Tampa (23-30) won 3-1.

LF Christopher Familia 2 RBI. 2-run HR (4).
3B Jesus Rodriguez 2 hits.
1B Omar Martinez 2 hits.
RF Felix Negueis 2 hits.

Pestana 2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K. 5.18
Bow (W, 1-1) 3 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 3 W, 2 K. 1 HBP 11.17
Keating (H, 1) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.63
Stone (S, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 W, 2 K. 3.38

Minor League Action from June 6, 2023.

AAA: SWB’s game was postponed because of poor air quality in the northeast because of the aftereffects of Canadian wildfires.

AA: Somerset (30-21) won 4-0.

1B T.J. Rumfield solo HR (7).
DH Anthony Seigler 2 hits.
RF Aaron Palensky solo HR (1 at AA; just promoted last week; had 12 HR at High A)

Clayton Beeter (W, 4-2) 6 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 W, 11 K. 1 WP 2.34 #13 prospect.
Mauricio 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 4.40
Jennings 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 3.51

High A: Hudson Valley (30-22) won 13-1.

SS Alexander Vargas 2 RBI.
1B Rafael Flores 2 hits, RBI.
RF Anthony Garcia 2 hits.
2B Benjamin Cowles, 3 hits, 2 RBI. Solo HR (6).
LF Grant Richardson 4 for 4
3B Marcos Cabrera 2 hits, 5 RBI.

Jo. Valdez 4 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 4 W, 2 K. 1 WP. 5 HBP (!) 6.46
Maciejewski (W, 1-0) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 1 WP 0.00
Vinyard 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 7.71
Aguilar 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.38
Cohen 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.92

Low A: Tampa (22-30) won 7-6 in 11 innings.

SS Brenny Escanio 2 hits, RBI.
DH Christopher Familia 2 hits, 2 RBI. 2-run HR (3).
3B Jesus Rodriguez 2 hits, RBI.
1B Omar Martinez solo HR (5).

Merda 5 2/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 4 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.30
Gilbert (BS, 1) 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2.28
M. Ramirez (H, 1) 2/3 IP, 1 R, 0 H, 2 W, 2 K. 2 HBP 6.98
Ayers (BS, 2) 1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 2 W, 2 K. 2 WP 4.15
Y. Calderon (W, 2-1) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 4 K. 1 HBP 1.95

Game #62. White Sox edge Yanks, 3-2.

In a game played in awful air quality conditions because of smoke and haze drifting into the northeast from wildfires in Canada, the Yanks (36-26) lost to the White Sox, 3-2, Tuesday night.

I live about 100 miles from Yankee Stadium, and even here, you don’t want to go outside, especially if you are elderly and/or have cardiac or pulmonary issues.

Clarke Schmidt pitched well, only making two mistakes. In the top of the third inning, Seby Zavala sliced one down the RF line and it barely made it into the short porch to put Chicago up 1-0. Zavala homered again, a 2-run no-doubter blast, in the top of the fifth, and the White Sox were then up 3-0.

Meanwhile, the Yanks didn’t get their first hit until two were out in the bottom of the seventh, and they had only three for the whole game. Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed a walk by Willie Calhoun with a double to break up the no-hitter and the shutout.

Josh Donaldson homered (4) in the bottom of the ninth to make it 3-2, but that was all she wrote.

Aaron Judge was out of the lineup again due to the toe he injured making that great catch in L.A. The Yanks clearly missed him and will miss him for a while.

A bruised toe and sprained ligament will put Judge on the IL. At least no fracture.

Tomorrow’s starter looks to be Randy Vasquez, who would be replacing Nestor Cortes, who is going on the IL with a strained shoulder. Cortes won’t throw for two weeks.

Ryan Weber avoids surgery for now, but has a strained UCL.

Donaldson solo HR (4).

Schmidt (L, 2-6) 6 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 2 HR. 4.96
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00
J. Cordero 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K. 3.33
Abreu 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.34

Former Giants’ P Bolin passes away, age 84.

Bobby Bolin, a pitcher who pitched for the Giants against the Yankees in the 1962 WS, has passed away at the age of 84.

Bolin pitched for the Giants (1961-1969), Brewers (1970) and Red Sox (1970-1973).

He went 7-3, 3.62, ERA+ 106 with six saves for the 1962 Giants who won the NL Pennant. Most of the games were in relief. The righty pitched in two WS games that year, going 0-0, 6.75.

A spot starter/ long reliever, Bolin was 14-6, 2.76 in 1965.

In 1968, he went 10-5, 1.99.

For his career, he was 88-75, 3.40, ERA+ 104. He had 51 saves, 15 in his final year of 1973.

His 162-game average was 51 games a year, 17 of them starts, and 9-8, 3.40.

As a hitter, he hit 6 HR.

Minor League Action from June 4, 2023. Thorpe superb for Hudson Valley.

AAA: SWB (27-30) gave up 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th and lost to Lehigh Valley, 8-7.

If the Yanks bring up Florial, he can’t be sent back down, but DFA’d. He’s hitting .317 but still no callup. Trade bait? He hasn’t performed previously. Is he finally putting it together?

RF Estevan Florial 2 hits. .317.
CF Elijah Dunham 2 hits. #16 prospect.
LF Francy Cordero 2 hits, 2 RBI.
2B Jamie Westbrook solo HR (7).
SS Jesus Bastidas solo HR (7).

Tully 4 1/3 IP, 4 R, 6 H, 1 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.93
McGarity 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 5.27
Brewer (H, 2) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 1 HBP 1.46
Weissert (H, 2) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K. 2.16
Deivi Garcia (L, 1-1) (BS, 2) 1 2/3 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 H, 1 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 5.46

AA: Somerset (29-21) won 5-4 in 10 innings.

SS Trey Sweeney solo HR (4) #5 prospect.
DH Austin Wells 3 hits, RBI #2 prospect.
1B T.J. Rumfield 2 hits, RBI.

Richard Fitts 6 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 1 W, 6 K. 4.73 #8 prospect.
Wilson 1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 2 K. 5.03
Houston 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 7.36
Myatt (W, 2-0) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 3.68

High A: Hudson Valley (29-22) won 9-0 on a one-hitter.

CF Spencer Jones 3 hits. #3 prospect.
DH Josh Breaux 2 hits.
C Antonio Gomez 3 hits, RBI. Solo HR (2).
RF Anthony Garcia 2 hits, 3 RBI. 2-run HR (4).

Drew Thorpe (W, 4-1) 8 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 W, 7 K. 3.31 #6 prospect.
C. Gomez 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 5.84

Low A: Tampa (21-30) lost 6-2.

RF Nelson Medina 2 hits.
LF Tayler Aguilar solo HR (3).

Stuart (L, 1-3) 3 2/3 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 7 H, 1 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.94
Gabonia 1 1/3 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1 WP Gave up 1 HR. 5.71
Bustamente 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 0 K. 3.57
Stone 2/3 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 W, 2 K. 1 Balk. 5.40
Gray 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.26

Roger Craig, ex-Dodger P, Original Met, Cardinal, and later SD and SF manager, dies at age 93.

Roger Craig, who was the ace of the horrible 1962 and 1963 Mets who later became a successful pitching coach and manager teaching pitchers the split-fingered fastball, died at the age of 93.

Craig pitched for the Dodgers (1955-1961), Mets (1962-1963), Cardinals (1964), Reds (1965) and Phillies (1966). He was on three WS Champs (1955 and 1959 Dodgers, 1964 Cardinals). He also was on the 1956 NL pennant winning Dodger team.

He went 5-3, 2.78 for the 1955 WS Champ Dodgers in his rookie season.
In 1956 he was 12-11, 3.71 for the pennant winning Dodgers.
In 1959, 11-5, 2.06 for the WS Champ Dodgers, and he led the NL that year with 4 shutouts. He also finished 13th in MVP voting that year.

With the 1962 Mets, Craig was 10-24, 4.51 for a team that went 40-120. He led the majors in losses. The following year, Craig went 5-22, 3.78 and once again led the majors in losses.

In 1964, Craig was 7-9, 3.25 for the WS Champ Cardinals.

For his career, he was 74-98, 3.83, ERA+ 104. Take away those two years with the Mets, and he was 59-52.

His 162-game average was 9-12, 3.83.

In seven WS games, four of them starts, he went 2-2 with a 6.49 ERA.

Craig managed the Padres in 1978 and 1979. In 1978 San Diego went 84-78 and finished 4th, but they slipped to 68-93 in 1979 and Craig was let go.

He took over as manager of the Giants from 1985 to 1992 and led them to a division title in 1987, losing the NLCS to the Cardinals. Two years later, he led the Giants to the NL pennant, but they were swept by the A’s in the World Series, one interrupted by an earthquake.

Craig’s managerial record was 738-737.

Game #61. Volpe HR ensures Yanks’ 4-1 win.

I have family in CA, outside of LA, and my sister, a Yankees’ fan like me, has the bragging rights in the household for now since the Yankees took the weekend series from the Dodgers with a 4-1 win Sunday night.

The Dodgers won 8-4 Friday night, but the Yankees (36-25) won 6-3 Saturday night then the 4-1 win tonight.

My family members in CA were supposed to go to the Friday night game but had to sell their tickets when something else came up.

The Yanks played the game without Aaron Judge, whose toe was sore after banging it against the fence in making his great catch Saturday night. Hopefully with an off-day Monday, he will be ready to go on Tuesday and not require an IL stint again.

Going to the IL, however, will be Nestor Cortes with a shoulder issue. Hopefully it’s only a start or two.

In the game, Domingo German was excellent, pitching into the seventh. It was a tight pitcher’s duel throughout.

The Yanks struck first, scoring a run in the top of the seventh when Jake Bauers got a one-out single. Isiah Kiner-Falefa bunted, and not only reached but both runners moved up a base on a throwing error by the pitcher. Kyle Higashioka got an RBI broken bat groundout to bring the run in.

With two out and an 0-2 count on J.D. Martinez in the bottom of the seventh, German made his only mistake, and Martinez hit a HR to tie the game.

With one out in the top of the eighth, Anthony Rizzo walked and was doubled to third by Giancarlo Stanton. Oswaldo Cabrera got an RBI groundout to put the Yanks up 2-1.

Neither Higashioka’s nor Cabrera’s groundouts were hit hard, but that may have been a good thing. The slowness of their nubbers enabled the runner to score. Sometimes you just get lucky.

Anthony Volpe ensured the Yankees’ win with a 2-run HR (9) in the top of the ninth.

There were only nine hits total in the game.

Volpe 2 hits, 2-run HR (9)

German 6 2/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 W, 6 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.69
Holmes (W, 4-2) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 2.84
Peralta (S, 4) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 2.84